


Darkness on the Edge of Town

by AnorakTheAllKnowing (orphan_account)



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: AU, F/M, Nancy is 26
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-07
Updated: 2019-09-02
Packaged: 2020-08-11 10:24:27
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20152093
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/AnorakTheAllKnowing
Summary: It's 1983 in Hawkins, Indiana, the year the town is changed forever.After the new nuclear power station in Mirkwood is opened, people start going missing, and no one can find them. The body of one of these missing people is found, Jane Hopper, the police chief's daughter.This sets off a series of events that brings together four people that all have some sort of connection to the strange goings on.They will now have to work together to unravel a conspiracy that looks to achieve a monstrous goal.





	1. Chapter 1

Hawkins, Indiana. November 7, 1983.

Jim Hopper shoots up in bed, his breathing quick, his head covered in sweat. He had the dream again. The one about her. He looks over at his bedside cabinet, on top of it, are four framed pictures:

One of him and his unit in Vietnam.

One of his wedding day.

One of his former wife in front of the Eiffel Tower.

But the one that catches his attention is the one of his daughter, Jane standing next to her crush Mike Wheeler at last year's Snowball dance. It was easy to tell that she had on a crush on him, not only because of how infatuated with him she was, but because of the fact that she isn't looking at the camera, but at the boy next to her, with a bigger smile than anyone on cloud nine could possibly have on her beautiful little face.

Hopper breaks down into tears, he rests his head in his hands, he knows he's not getting back to sleep.

\---

Joyce Byers sits on her couch, all lights in the house turned off, the only source of light being the TV.

On top of the TV sits a video camera, the wires of the camera are plugged into the TV, playing a family video on the screen. The video shows her sons Jonathan and Will playing and laughing. Tears stream down her face, Will has gone missing, and Jonathan has run away as a result of that. She feels like she has failed, failed at one of the most important things in life, being a mother.

\---

Nancy Wheeler lays in her parents' bed, unable to sleep because of a headache. She knows full well how got it, thinking about the shouting match she had with her brother, who she had to babysit for the next few weeks while their parents were gone. Yay.

She hated being back in Hawkins, back at her old house, but she had no choice, she had lost her job and her house in Indianapolis. She had found a job in Hawkins, it's low paying, and degrading, but it's a job, and she is confident that if she keeps doing well, she will have enough money to buy a house, and then she can find a better job.

\---

She opens the door to Mike's bedroom, the moonlight shining through his window lighting up the fresh tears on his face, clearly, he had just finished crying himself to sleep.

Nancy frowns, and walks into the room. She kneels next to his sleeping head, and wipes away the tears from his cheeks with her sleeve, and then brushes his hair from his eyes, she smiles and leans forwards, and kisses him on the cheek. She rests her head on the cheek she had just kissed, gently, so she doesn't wake him, closes her eyes, and whispers: "Love you."

\---

The moonlight is reflected in the waters of Lover's Lake, and tonight, it's really earning it's name.

A teenage boy lays on his back, his boyfriend straddling his lap, the two of them kissing with a passion they can't do in public.

A rustle in the bushes, and they both stop kissing to see what it was.

"What was that?" The boy laying on his back asks.

"I don't know."

Hidden in the trees to their left, a man, his face concealed by a balaclava, watches them, ready to spring the trap.


	2. Chapter 2

Nancy pulls up outside Hawkins Middle School, and turns to her brother next to her, "You're sure you're okay to go in?"

Mike nods, a sad look on his face.

"I'm sure the school would understand if you didn't-"

"I'll be fine, Nance, really," he says looking her in the eyes.

Nancy sighs, "Okay, be good."

Mike snorts and smiles lightly, "Yes Mom," he opens the car door and gets out.

Nancy frowns, not finding the humour in that comment.

\---

Later that day, Joyce sits at work at the cash register bored. It's been a pretty uneventful day, no one has come in, until now. She looks at the door when she hears the bell ring, and sees Hopper, not wearing his uniform.

"Hey," he greets.

Joyce smiles, "Hi."

"You busy?"

Joyce gestures to the empty store, "You're our first customer so no."

"Good cause I… um… I… I just needed to talk, is that okay?"

"Uh, yeah yeah, okay, what do you wanna talk about?"

Hopper moves to stand in front of the cash register, "I don't know, anything really."

"Okay well," Joyce thinks, "How about why you're not at work?"

"I'm on compassionate leave, the mayor personally let me off work, said he 'appreciated all my years of service and hard work' and he felt he 'owed me.'"

"That was nice of him."

Hopper humourlessly laughs, "Nah he's just trying to get rid off me because he thinks I'll hurt someone, I mean I'll admit I get angry when I'm sad but it's not like I'm gonna FUCKING KILL SOMEONE!"

He takes a deep breath, "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, you gotta let it out somehow."

"Yeah, but honestly I'm thankful, I've been in this situation before and I just can't do anything."

"That's the opposite of me, I need to have something to do, it doesn't have to be a huge thing, I mean it could be something little like, watching TV, or mopping over a floor that I've mopped four times already, anything."

Hopper nods, "You know I remember the day I found her, she was at that shit hole of an orphanage, I can't remember the name but whatever it was called sounded like some kind of spinal disease, she was four years old, had blonde hair that eventually turned completely brown," his eyes start to well with tears, "cheeks that you'd just want to pinch, and that smile, it could warm your heart no matter how bad you felt, you could be on your death bed drawing your last breath, and one smile from her you'd make you forget your entire situation," it's becoming harder to talk, "and when I took her home, I knew that from that day until the day I died, I knew I would do anything for her, and that's why I can't do anything, because she's gone, and I don't have to do anything for her anymore, and I want to, I want to so badly."

His eyes are now completely wet, he looks over at Joyce, whose eyes are also filled with tears, "You understand right?"

She nods, "Yeah. I do. Ever since Will went missing I haven't known what, which is I try to preoccupy myself with anything I can," she wipes her eyes, "it's been made harder though by Jonathan running away, although that's my fault, I wasn't there for him, I was to occupied with my grief, I was selfish."

"Joyce, you no idea he would run away, it's not your fault."

"Still doesn't change anything, both my boys are gone, and I'm still here."

"Hey listen, you want to have dinner tonight?" This takes Joyce by surprise.

"I was thinking Enzo's at seven?"

"I can't tonight, my sister's coming over, and I have to deal with her unfortunately."

Hopper tries his best to hide his disappointment "Well, maybe another time."

"Yeah, another time."

"Well I'll be off, and, don't beat yourself up too much."

"You too Hop, I care about you, I really do."

He smiles, wipes his eyes, and leaves the store.

Joyce sighs when he leaves, wishing she could accept his offer.

\---

Mike sits by himself in the school playground, alone with his thoughts.

"Hey, Wheeler," a female voice calls, he looks up to see Stacey approaching him, a folded piece of paper in her hand.

"Here," she holds it out to him.

His brow furrows in confusion, "What's this?"

"Take a look," he takes the paper from her hand, "Uh thanks I guess."

"No problem," she turns and walks away.

He unfolds the note, it reads:

STAY STRONG MIKE WHEELER, EVERYTHING WILL BE OKAY

JH

Mike looks around for Jennifer Hayes, but she is nowhere to be seen. He turns back to look at the note, a smile forms on his face, his first proper, genuine smile in months.

"Hey Frogface," calls a familiar voice.

He looks up to see Troy, "What you got there?"

Mike rolls his eyes, "Why do you care?"

"Because I want to know what stupid bitch secretly admires you?"

"I haven't got a secret admirer," he folds the paper and places it in his pocket, "and it's none of your business."

He turns and starts walking away from the bully, but then, "Did you ever treat Jane like this?"

Mike stops walking upon hearing her name, but he doesn't turn around, hoping Troy doesn't go any further.

"I mean it might explain why she left, which makes it your fault that she's dead," he says smirking.

Mike scowls and clenches his fist.

He is so dead.

\---

Nancy finishes washing the dishes in the hospital kitchen, God I hate this job, she thinks to herself. She takes off her washing gloves and throws them on the side, she then goes to leave out the door.

She opens the door and is immediately met by Janice, one of the nurses, "Hey, Nancy, Doris in reception sent me, says the Hawkins Middle principal is on the phone."

Nancy sighs, "Okay thanks Jan."

"No problem."

\---

"This is Nancy," she speaks into the phone, her eyes widen, "He did what?!" She says a little too loud, "Okay yeah I'll come pick him up I do apologise."

"Yeah I know he's been bad for the last few months, he was close to Jane Hopper."

"I'm not trying to excuse what he did I'm just explaining that he's not a bad kid he's just-" she scowls, "Don't talk about him like that!"

"No no he is a much better person than that little dickhead will ever be!"

"I am not getting-" she takes a breath to control her anger, "Sorry I'll come get him, thank you," she hears the receiver get put down, "Cocksucker," she looks back at Doris, who's watching with wide eyes.

Nancy softens her expression, "Sorry, I need to go."

Doris nods her head, "Yeah sure,"

Nancy smiles, "Thank you."

\---

Nancy drives home with a angry looking Mike, "I can't believe you!"

"He deserved it." He says not facing her, but looking out the window

"Doesn't mean you break his nose, now that kid is a douchebag, we both agree on that, but you're better than that Mike, what did I tell you?"

Mike mumbles something.

"What's that?"

He rolls his eyes, "Never to throw the first punch."

"Exactly," she shakes her head in disbelief, "This has to stop Mike, first it was graffitiing the bathroom stall, then cursing out your teacher, and now breaking a kid's nose, you're lucky Mom and Dad aren't-"

"Here?!" He turns to her, "Why?! They wouldn't do crap, Mom would ground me, which isn't that bad, and Dad would just give me another lecture about how to be a good American citizen and all that other patriotic bullshit, yeah I'm so lucky!"

\---

Mike walks in through the door, Nancy follows, "Don't walk away from me!" She grabs hold of his arm, "I'm talking to you," she says in a warning tone.

"And I'm not listening to you," he rips his arm from her grip and moves for the stairs.

"I know why you're acting like this Mike."

He stops walking before he touches the bottom step, and turns around, "Really? Do you?"

"It's because of Jane."

"Don't-"

"You miss her," her expression softens "you loved her I know you did, and Mom told me you never got the chance to tell her how you felt."

"Nancy don't you dare!"

"I know how that feels Mike, feeling a certain way about someone and not being able telling them, I really do."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Who was it then? Who did you love?"

Nancy's eyes are downcast, the truth would be too much for him.

He shakes his head, "Yeah you really understand."

"I do."

"No you don't," his voice gets angrier.

"I do."

"No you DON'T!" He explodes, "NO ONE UNDERSTANDS! NOT MOM! NOT DAD! OR ANYONE ELSE IN THIS TOWN!" His eyes are filled with tears, "I LOVED HER SO MUCH AND NOW SHE'S GONE AND SHE'LL NEVER-" he breaks down, his head falling into his hands, full on sobbing.

Nancy approaches him and places her hands on his arms, he lifts his head from his hands and wraps her arms around her, after her initial surprise, she returns the hug.

He cries into her shoulder, "I'm sorry Nance, I'm, I'm so sorry."

"Shush," she says soothingly, one hand wrapped around his waist, the other comfortingly stroking his hair, "Shush, I got you, you're okay."

"I love you Nance, you know that right?"

"Yeah I know, and I love you too."

\---

The boy from Lover's Lake wakes up, he's lying on a rectangular stone slab on the floor, in a completely white room, two large lights built into the ceiling, two vents with fans in the wall, one isn't spinning, the other is. He looks at his surroundings in fear. His eyes land on the door, a cell door, except there's no window. He runs up to the door and starts banging on the metal, "Hey, where am I?! Where's Aaron?! Let me out! Do you hear me?! Let me out!"

He jumps at a noise and turns to see the second fan now spinning, and the room starts filling with dust.


	3. Chapter 3

Joyce drives home late at night, still feeling guilty about refusing Hopper's dinner offer. She sighs and shakes her head, trying to clear it of those thoughts. Suddenly, a man in a balaclava appears in her headlights, in his arms, a young boy struggles against his grip. The man in the balaclava looks up, making eye contact with Joyce, he drops the boy and runs out of the way of the headlights and into the darkness.

Joyce opens the door and exits the car, "Hey!" She calls, "Hey!" But he is gone. She looks to the boy in the middle of the road, and goes to help him up. "Are you okay?" She asks helping him to his feet, when she sees the boy's face, she realises that he has Down Syndrome, "Yes. Thank you," the boy slurs.

"What's your name?" She asks.

"Desmond," the boy replies.

"What are you doing out here Desmond?"

"I was playing hide and seek with my brother and his friends, and I couldn't find them."

Joyce frowns, knowing they left him as some sick joke, "Who was that man?"

"I don't know, I was looking for the others, and he just grabbed me, he spoke funny, I couldn't understand him."

"Where do you live Desmond?"

"Dearborn."

"Okay, do you want me to take you home?"

He smiles, "Yes please."

"Okay come on," screw my sister, Joyce thought, she can wait.

\---

The next day, Nancy stands talking on the house phone, "Doris I have not missed a day since I started okay, can't you just do me a favour?"

"I know but my brother isn't feeling so good."

"Thank you, yes, yes I understand. Okay, see you tomorrow, yeah you too."

She puts down the receiver the same moment her brother comes downstairs, still looking sleepy, his hair a mess, but definitely not sick.

She turns to him, "Hey buddy, sleep okay?"

"Fine yeah, did you turn off my alarm clock?"

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"I thought you could use a day off after what happened yesterday."

Mike raises his eyebrows in surprise, "Oh, okay, thanks I guess."

She smiles, "No problem."

\---

"So you saw a man with a balaclava, restraining a kid?" Officer Powell asks.

"Yes," Joyce answers.

"And where was this again?"

"The road where Cornwallis and Kerley meet, the one near my house."

"This kid," Officer Callahan starts, "Desmond Wallis, he's got Down Syndrome right?"

"Yes why?"

"Nothing it's just, two other Down Syndrome kids have gone missing, it's just a freaky coincidence."

Joyce hums in agreement, but thinks that it doesn't sound like such a coincidence.

\---

Mike sits on the couch with Nancy, the two of them watching a movie together. Something has been scratching at the back of Mike's head, Nancy said she understood what's it like to never tell someone you love them, but didn't say who, and his curiosity was too strong.

"Hey Nance," he turns to look at her.

"Yeah?" She replies, keeping her eyes on the screen.

"You never said who it was you loved, why?"

Nancy sighs, and finally turns to look at him, "It's complicated Mike."

"I know I'm being nosey it's just, I feel like we should be honest with each other."

She sighs, "I won't tell you who, but this person, I did love, but I had to pretend to love him in a different way."

"Like how?"

"Like I said, it's complicated."

Mike shakes his head, "Sorry, I shouldn't have intruded."

"It's okay," she smiles, "but since we're being honest with each other, do you want to tell me who JH is?"

His eyes go wide in fear, "What?!"

"I read the note, do you have a secret admirer?"

His face goes red and he looks down in embarrassment, "N-no."

"Oh my god you so do!"

"Shut up," he mumbles, unable to hide his smile.

"Aww, my baby brother's got himself a secret admirer," she teases.

"Shut up," he says laughing.

"In all seriousness though, who is it?"

"Jennifer Hayes."

"That's good, I'm glad you've got someone looking out for you, have you talked to her?"

He shakes his head.

"Why not?"

"Because I feel like it would be a betrayal to Jane if I did."

"I know this probably isn't my place to say it, but I think would want you to be happy, even if it means being happy without her, don't you think so?"

Mike thinks for a moment, "Yeah, I think she would."

Nancy smiles, "See. Nothing to be afraid of."

He smiles back, "I guess not. Thanks Nance."

She extends her arms out, "Come here."

They both embrace, "I'm proud of you."

Mike chuckles, "I haven't even done anything."

"I don't care, I'm proud of you."

"You really are turning into Mom."

She frowns, "I hope that's a compliment?"

"I would be happy to call you my mom."

She smiles, "Thanks."


End file.
